Flowers for the Sick

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If you have seen Tennessee Williams' Streetcar Named Desire, you are likely to remember, "Flores por los muertos." Since I may be under the weather—but definitely still kicking, the line isn't appropriate in my situation. Never mind. I took some liberties in my translation of the playwright's dialogue. I am sure he became accustomed to that.

I wasn't feeling well over a period of several days and I got two beautiful bunches of flowers to cheer me up. The Husband had to travel to Los Angeles and brought home a bunch of pink peonies and the white tulips you see here. Even though I didn't feel up to taking photographs until the flowers were past their prime, I love the look of them in their last days.

I will be out of touch most, or all, of this week. I am not sure I will be in the mood to hunt and peck keys with one hand after my surgery. But, I will be checking up on everybody. That means if you get into mischief, I will hear about it.

(Two of the three textures used in the image are from Shadowhouse Creations.)

Nostalgia or Just Near-Sighted

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I remain all caught up in exploring texture layers. The exploration has led me to thinking more about how I see. Being drawn to nostalgia (I am at that age, after all) has something to do with it, I suppose. Furthermore, I am an incurable romantic and that obviously plays no small part in my fling with this processing technique.

More important, I suspect, is the fact that I am nearsighted. I remember quite vividly the shock I experienced when I got my first pair of glasses, as a child. All the details in the distance came as quite a shock to me. All my young life, the close-up things had rich detail, then beyond a certain field of vision there was a rather pleasant softening of details. I am beginning to wonder if that has a bit to do with how strongly I am drawn to this way of finishing an image.

On the other hand, I just plain enjoy "fiddling" with images. Who knows? In a couple of months, I may have lost all interest in this look. No telling what I will be up to then. Of this I am certain: I can't imagine ever tiring of the challenge presented by something new and different.

Both texture layers used in this image are from Shadowhouse Creations.

Not Yet Ready

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I had been forewarned to install iTunes on my desktop in preparation for the arrival of my iPad. I also knew that I had to deal with creating a folder for the photos I wanted on the tablet, resize those images, and be ready to "sync", whatever the heck that meant. I wasn't excited about either chore.

I had struggled with iTunes years ago and positively loathed the sound of its name. It irked me that I would have to deal with it again. I knew I had a great deal to learn; but, having seen that the tablet wasn't likely to arrive before June 8, I postponed the inevitable and stayed busy with other projects. There was a surprise in store.

Last Friday afternoon, the FedEx truck pulled up in front of our house. "Why was he here", was all I could think? Then, as he headed to the door, I saw the size of the package in his hand. Uh Oh. The iPad was several days early.

There I was—tablet in hand and hours away from having anything on it. It was an interesting weekend. But, I now have a functioning iPad and iTunes isn't nearly the nightmare that I remembered it to be. There were a few rough patches and I am not left any swearing allowance for the entire remainder of this month; but, I think I am over the worst of it.

Although I am never ready for the green to fade on those foothills along Highway 58, I love them just as much when they turn to gold. Every time we make that drive I want wings. What would it be like to spend your days soaring above those miles upon miles of rolling hills and valleys at the southern base of the Sierra Nevadas?

A Lively Ghost Town

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Randsburg, a small town on the western edge of the Mojave Desert, hangs on the side of a mountain and is sometimes described as a living ghost town. Like Jerome, Arizona, it retains most of its old west, mining town character while holding on to life. There are shops open on weekends and the General Store, along with a bar called The Joint, stay open on weekdays.

Randsburg is one of a trio of towns that were part of the mining district in the Rand Mountains of Kern County. Gold was first discovered in the area in 1896 and, just as the gold was becoming more scarce, miners discovered silver and tungsten. The mining continues to this day with several mines still producing.

A small amount of tourism contributes to the economy of Randsburg. (I have yet to visit on a weekend when the antique stores and the museum are open.) Many residents still prospect; others work in mining operations nearby. The Rand Mining Company, as well as the Twenty Mule Team Borax Mine in Boron, employ their share of Randsburg residents, while some folks commute to the nearby salt flats, for example.

There is enough to see in town to motivate several trips. However, it is not looking good for my return until after summer is done. June is another surgery month for me, then by July and August no one in their right mind will want to be that close to the Mojave Desert. At least not in my humble opinion.

Some Joy Even in Mudville

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That phrase "no joy in mudville" keeps running through my mind. While other bloggers post beautiful images of spring blossoms, I look at our barren place and think what is this about? While we have some beautiful days periodically, there are new mud puddles replacing the previous mud puddles which replaced the...you get the picture. The temps are still dropping into the 30's most nights. Plant ye your flowers if ye dare. We haven't dared.

Meanwhile, I have drowned the choruses of "woe is me" by returning to a flirtation with adding textures to photos. If anyone is to blame for encouraging me, it would be Mark Graf. After a couple of his recent posts rekindled my curiousity, I decided to give texturing another try. This time around I wised up (this is definitely thanks to Mark) and stopped trying to work with my own textures. Some things need to be left to the experts. There are textures out there created by people a whole lot smarter than me, and I regret wasting so much time before I got the message. (The bulk of the textures used here are from Shadowland.* More about that later.)
*Edit: Shadowhouse Creations is the correct name of the source. My face is red. Don't know what I was thinking about.

You may have guessed by the whine above that my blooms were photographed indoors. I am also experimenting with walking indoors. We have an old treadmill that has been stuck in the garage waiting for that famous garage sale we need to hold. I hadn't used the thing in years because each time I did my back acted up. I am ready to give it another go. So far, mixed reviews and hoping for gradual improvement.

Clearly, walking in our garage doesn't hold a candle to striking out on the lower valley trail headed for Cub Lake; but, it beats no walking at all. The trails are still fit only for the sure of foot, which doesn't describe me. So, the garage it is, for now. Yes, while a half hour flies by out on the trail, ten minutes in the garage crawls along at a glacial pace. Still, with sufficient rewards at the end medicine goes down a little more easily, right? Eventually, those trails will be dry again and I want to be ready.

I Made My Choice in the Tablet Wars

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This time I actually did it. After talking about a number of purchases that I had flirted with recently (including a Canon G12—still lusting after that), I started wanting a tablet. Although I liked a number of things about some other makes, ultimately the iPad stood out because of the superior display. Naturally, I want to put photos on mine. I might even use it occasionally for e-mail and reading blogs.

I placed my order last week after agonizing over the expense of this indulgence for a few weeks. Since the closest Apple store is a two-hour drive from our house, I talked to an Apple online rep. No way I wanted to make that four-hour round-trip drive to stand in line. The Apple rep was patient, informed, cheerful, and kind. We had a good time chatting. It made giving her my credit card number just a little less painful.

I know that the tablet won't take the place of my notebook, but I decided to take the plunge, anyway. Furthermore, there is no doubt that you will see posts, here, bemoaning my struggles as I learn to use a new device. I promise that I will try to keep the shrieks of panic to a minimum. Of course, I already have one complaint. I want the darned thing, yesterday. Still, in spite of that impatience, I am eagerly looking forward to the arrival of my first, ever, Apple product.

Don't Stand Near The Shaft

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The photo is another from Randsburg. As you can tell from the sign on the left, this is an open mine shaft. And, it is right smack dab in the middle of town. There really was silver in them thar hills.

Friday was a good news day. The Husband left the house to "just go check a horse's feet" and assured me that he would be home in less than half an hour. An hour and a half later, I called him to see if he was all right and to rib him about that half-hour thing. With a strange note in his voice, he informed me that he had ended up trimming the horse's feet. I was shocked and he seemed a rather surprised himself. The best part is that he said he felt great. No, the best part is that the next day, he still felt great. 

Escaping Late Winter Blahs

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Yesterday, we were both feeling much better after a bout with a bug and decided to get down off our mountain for something other than a medical appointment. We headed northeast before noon. Our destination was Randsburg—one of those innumerable ghost towns in the west that boomed late in the 19th Century when the mines were yielding big money. The current population of the town is eighty and the shops there are open only on weekends. Even though we got inside only one building, there was plenty to see and nothing but sunshine outside. Randsburg deserves another visit.

Tools for Matting and Framing

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A part of my recent framing frenzy has been the discovery of a few tools that I had never worked with before. This doesn't mean the tools are new, of course, only new to me.  Fortunately, those tools have made matting and framing a much less onerous task.

I doubt that I am in the minority among photographers when I say that almost any aspect of photography is more enjoyable than matting the print and getting it in a clean and dust-free frame. Lately, I have found enormous satisfaction in the final product and that satisfaction powers me through the mundane tasks required to produce the framed piece. Clearly, if money were no object, I would turn this job over to a professional. Now, back to real life.

At the risk of beginning to sound like an infomercial, I am particularly enjoying using some of the items I purchase from Frame Destination. For example, I had never used a print weight. Now, I am a major fan. 

My other favorite inexpensive, yet indispensable, item is their hanging hardware. When I buy one of their complete framing kits (frame, backing, and mat) the hanging hardware is included. But, for frames that I have on hand, I no longer skimp. I spring for the extra buck (or a whopping buck-fifty for the hardware needed for larger frames). I am completely spoiled now. Love that plastic-wrapped wire. Having spent some time using the budget-model hardware store wire, I appreciate the difference. My fingers are worth it.

Finally, I like the Lineco linen hinging tape. I can't imagine myself ever getting the formula just right for the water activated tapes, but the self-adhesive one is easy to work with. Occasionally, I have trouble getting my nail under the edge of that backing; but, more often than not it is only a minor hassle.

The fact that I have yet to find a mat from this company that isn't pristine, with perfectly precise corners explains most of my enthusiasm for this company. I don't know about anyone else, but sloppily cut mats are a major turnoff for me. While viewing an artist's work recently, I couldn't help but be amazed that the man had his work displayed in a major venue; yet the mats were tacky. I didn't spot a single clean cut. Picky on my part, I suppose, but we all have our tolerance for compromise.

I don't expect that I will ever eagerly anticipate a session of matting and framing; but the task is far less a dreaded one these days. Now if this company could just come up with a piece of glass that repels dust.... Oh well, I can dream, can't I?

Home Again

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The Husband is home, safe and sound. I am smiling again. He sends his best to all who wished a speedy recovery. I assume chicken soup is appropriate for any period of recuperation. Right?